NEW YORK (AP) — If John Harbaugh were coaching a Pop Warner football team, fullback Patrick Ricard told him he'd want to be involved in some way, even if that meant being the water boy.
Harbaugh coaches the New York Giants now, so following him there was much easier.
Ricard is one of at least four former Baltimore Ravens players joining Harbaugh with the Giants. He and tight end Isaiah Likely signed their contracts Thursday, while defensive back Ar'Darius Washington and All-Pro punter Jordan Stout agreed to terms earlier this week when the NFL's free agency period began.
“As soon as I saw he got the job here, I was definitely interested,” Ricard said on a video call with reporters. “As soon as he was interested in me coming here, I was all in. I was just ready to just sign a contract and let’s get going.”
The Ravens fired Harbaugh after losing the season finale to Pittsburgh. Likely had a would-be game-winning touchdown catch overturned on video review that if it held up, he said, “I’d still be in Baltimore” because Harbaugh might have kept his job.
Moving past that butterfly effect of what could have changed, Likely credits the culture Harbaugh instills for explaining why he and others want to keep playing for the 63-year-old Super Bowl-winning coach.
“With Harbs the mantra was always be disciplined, you’re going to give 110% effort for a whole 60 minutes and understand that you’ll never go into a game thinking negative,” said Likely, who signed for three years and $40 million. “I feel like that’s the best mantra to have going into any organization having Harbs as your leader.”
Harbaugh and Joe Schoen aren't just pulling from Baltimore. On Thursday, the Giants agreed to sign former Pittsburgh receiver Calvin Austin to a $4.5 million contract for next season, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus.
Austin, who will be 27 next season, along with Likely is part of the effort to replace Wan'Dale Robinson, who followed former Giants coach Brian Daboll — now the Titans’ offensive coordinator — to Tennessee. Austin had 31 catches for 372 yards and three touchdowns with the Steelers last season.
Robinson last year became just the third player 5-foot-8 or shorter since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving. Likely is 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, and yet it seems like he is ticketed to line up in the slot in Matt Nagy's offense.
Likely did that under Harbaugh and Todd Monken with the Ravens and is very comfortable in that role.
“I feel like in the slot you get to see a lot more — right now, right then and there,” Likely said, adding he enjoys moving around like a chess piece.
No matter where Likely is on the field, he provides a big, reliable target for quarterback Jaxson Dart, who's going into his second professional season. The two have been texting since becoming teammates, and Dart might have been another big reason Likely picked the Giants.
"He got me here," Likely said with a laugh. “Excited to get out there and play with him. When you watch him, you see the type of drive he has to win any game by any means necessary. You love that, when you have a quarterback like that that’s ready to do whatever it takes to win the game.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
FILE - Baltimore Ravens punter Jordan Stout in action during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, file)
FILE - Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) in action during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Nov. 27, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
COURCHEVEL, France (AP) — Marco Odermatt has locked up his first two titles of the World Cup season. And it's only a matter of days before he will likely add two more globes.
The Swiss star secured the overall and downhill title Friday after finishing third behind Austrian winner Vincent Kriechmayr in the penultimate downhill of the season.
It’s the fifth straight overall title for Odermatt, which puts him level with Marc Girardelli in second place on the all-time winners list, behind Marcel Hirscher with eight titles.
Clinching the big crystal globe was a formality for Odermatt, since the only racer who could mathematically overtake him, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, doesn’t compete in downhills. The six remaining races this season are not enough for Pinheiro Braathen to close his deficit of 632 points in the overall standings.
“Winning those globes once again early means you are far ahead and that makes it even more special,” said Odermatt, who won four World Cup downhills this season, but finished fourth in the Olympic race last month.
Odermatt won the downhill globe for the third straight season, marking his 10th career discipline title. He’s expected to add the super-G globe this weekend and is in a strong position to win the giant slalom title at the World Cup Finals in Norway next week.
He also won those four globes in each of the past two seasons.
“It’s very nice. For me, the downhill globe became probably the most important thing in my career now," Odermatt said. "To win this the third time in a row, and also with a big gap, makes it even more special to be so consistent in every race.”
Odermatt knew before his run Friday that the downhill globe was secured, since his only remaining challenger, teammate and Olympic champion Franjo von Allmen, started earlier but skied out.
Von Allmen needed to finish first or second to keep any hopes alive. Racing in warm and sunny conditions, he came off the race line in a right turn and wasn’t able to adjust when he skied through soft snow outside of the course.
Odermatt then clocked the third time, 0.31 seconds behind Kriechmayr, with Giovanni Franzoni of Italy trailing by 0.09 in second. The result marked the first World Cup downhill win for the Austrian men’s team in three years.
“It was very difficult, very tough race. I think I never been that much tired in the finish like today, it’s been a long season and tough conditions,” said Odermatt, referring to the mild temperatures and soft snow.
“I am very happy with my race, another consistent race, for the globe as well, a perfect day."
Olympic super-G silver medalist Ryan Cochran-Siegle was the best U.S. skier in 12th place, while his teammate Jared Goldberg stopped his run after narrowly avoiding a full-speed crash with a course worker who was still moving on the race line when the American approached.
Odermatt's teammate Niels Hintermann, who was 20th on the start list, didn't race and said he had decided to end his career.
“My body and my mind didn't want to race today. I am not willing anymore to take the necessary risks,” said Hintermann, who returned to the circuit in December at age 30 after being declared cancer-free following treatment for node cancer.
“I've got a second life after my illness, I am not going to put that at risk,” added Hintermann, who got the last of his three career World Cup wins two years ago.
The race also marked the last downhill for 41-year-old Adrien Théaux, who this week announced his retirement after 22 years on the World Cup.
A three-time Olympian who took super-G bronze at the 2015 world championships in Beaver Creek, Colorado, the French veteran won three World Cup races, most recently in December 2015.
The race weekend in the resort that hosted the 2023 world championships continues with two super-Gs.
AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing
France's Adrien Theaux kisses his partner at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, after competing in his last race, in Courchevel, France, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, right, celebrates with the team after taking third place in an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, as Switzerland's Niels Hintermann celebrates after announcing his retirement, in Courchevel, France, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr, center, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, celebrates on the podium with second-placed Italy's Giovanni Franzoni, left, and third-placed Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, in Courchevel, France, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Courchevel, France, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)
Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen arrives at the finish area after failing to complete an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Courchevel, France, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Courchevel, France, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt reacts at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Courchevel, France, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt reacts at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Courchevel, France, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
